Savasana Is One of the Hardest Yoga Poses to Practice

Yoga Journal’s archives series is a curated collection of articles originally published in past issues beginning in 1975. This article first appeared in the December 2002 issue of Yoga Journal.

You’ve probably heard a yoga teacher say that Savasana (Corpse Pose) is often considered to be the hardest pose for Western students. Since Savasana does not require muscular exertion or the gift of flexibility, you may wonder, Why is this?

Savasana engages us in the ancient practice of pratyahara, one of the eight limbs of yoga that asks that we withdraw our senses from the stimulation of the outside world and turn them inward. This discipline stills the senses, allows us to focus on our core being, and ultimately develops tranquility. Pratyahara is challenging to practice in today’s culture, which values a human doing over a human being.

Why Savasana Matters

As a result of constant activity, people these days seem more accustomed to living with tension than with calmness. Sixty-hour work weeks, complex world issues, and even the stress of modern realities like driving make fast-paced, extrospective behavior the norm. Because these tensions can eventually lead to digestive problems, heart trouble, high blood pressure, insomnia, and other physical ailments if we never take a break from them, it’s vital that we learn how to relax our senses and allow ourselves to go inward.

Students often find Savasana difficult because they witness the busy mind thinking, worrying, and planning within the quiet, restful space of their yoga practice.

Some want to skip Savasana entirely, saying they just don’t have the time. Yet those who have no time for relaxation actually need it the most. And with patience and the practice of pratyahara, the “monkey mind” gradually calms.

Ironically, while you practice doing nothing in Savasana, a tremendous amount of healing takes place.

The blood pressure and heart rate decrease, while the immune system is strengthened. Savasana soothes the nerves and reduces stress, fatigue, and muscular tension, smoothing out the “thinking lines” across the forehead that result from a constantly furrowed brow. The pose gives you time to absorb and integrate the asanas (postures) that you have practiced. Done anytime during the day, Savasana helps you revitalize your entire system and eventually experience more harmony in your life.

How to Practice Savasana

To begin, place your mat down in a warm, quiet place. As you relax, your body temperature will drop, so have a blanket if you think you’ll get cold. Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose), with your legs straight out in front of you. Lean back on your elbows, making sure that your trunk and legs are in one line—lack of alignment prevents complete relaxation—and carefully lower your body to the floor one vertebra at a time.

Bend your legs, raise your hips, and use your hands to lengthen your lower back down toward the legs, to spread the flesh of the buttocks, and to broaden the sacrum (top of the pelvis. Then rest the sacrum down evenly on the floor and straighten one leg at a time, allowing the legs to roll out from your hip sockets, about hip-distance apart. If your lower back is uncomfortable lying flat on the floor, place a bolster under your knees or a chair seat beneath your lower legs. Bending the knees releases the lower back, and it can also prevent hyper-extension in the knees and help soothe belly tension.

To align the upper body, bend your elbows, touch your fingers to the tops of your shoulders, and lengthen your triceps toward the elbows. As you do this, release your shoulder blades down your back.

Place your upper arms on the floor and then stretch out your arms so they rest equidistant from the body. Turn your palms upward in a position of surrender. As your hands soften, the fingers will naturally curl.

This is the classic position for the hands, yet some beginners find that tightness in their shoulders makes this difficult after a few minutes. If that is your experience, rest your hands palms-down on your belly.

Lift your head and make sure that your chin, sternum, and navel are all in line. As you lower your head to the floor, gently stretch the base of your neck and skull toward the crown of your head. If your forehead is lower than your chin, place a blanket beneath your head. If you wear glasses, remove them, and softly close your eyes.

Imagine your midline traveling down the center of your body, dividing you in half, and feel that your arms and legs are equidistant from this line. In Savasana, we tend to lean slightly toward the side of the body that is stronger. If you notice that one side of the back is lighter on the ground, take a moment to broaden that side away from the midline of your body and let it relax down, breathing a bit more into that area until it feels even with the other side.

Deeply release the arms, wrists, and hands, and feel the earthiness of your legs and feet. Consciously relax with your exhalations, and remember that Savasana cannot be forced; rather than trying to make relaxation happen, allow yourself to let go and rest in your body and mind.

To further minimize external distractions and help you turn inward, place an eyebag or folded washcloth over your eyes to bathe them in darkness and remove visual stimulation. If you are thinking, release your grip on those thoughts and imagine that your forehead is as smooth as a wide ribbon of satin.

Relax your inner ears so that any sounds you hear move through you. Allow your eyeballs to shrink into their sockets and drop toward the back of your skull. Soften your cheekbones; let your cheeks feel hollow. Release your jaw and relax the root of your tongue. Keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose. The face is without expression in Savasana; your inner being radiates through your flesh effortlessly.

Dropping into Stillness

Begin to sense your breath rising and falling in your belly. You can think of this belly area as an ocean, with gentle waves of breath on the surface. As one dives down into the depths of an ocean and moves away from any turbulence on the surface of the water, the surroundings become increasingly quiet, calm, and peaceful.

Drop into this stillness inside of yourself, allowing the breath to calmly breathe you.

While your body may be still in Savasana, it’s much harder to keep your mind still. If mental chatter occurs, practice relaxing into your body just as it is. Watch your breath. Surrender your weight into the support of the earth and feel your presence expand. Try to stay in Savasana for five to 1o minutes. However, if all you have are two minutes, better to do it for a short while than to skip it entirely. Anytime that you feel ungrounded, exhausted from a poor night’s sleep, or stressed, do Savasana for 20 minutes. You’ll find the practice rewarding.

When you are ready, bring your awareness back to the feeling of your body lying on the floor. Begin to take some deeper breaths as you remain calm within. Start with small movements, like wiggling your fingers and toes. Then bend your knees and roll onto your right side. After a minute or so, use the strength of your arms to push yourself up into a comfortable seated position, keeping your head relaxed.

Take a moment to sit tall and notice the benefits of pratyahara. What do you feel? Calmness, love, sweetness? If you like, you can press your palms together in front of the center of your chest and take a moment to dedicate your practice, sending this energy somewhere where it is needed.

Wherever energy goes, ultimately it will help all beings. The more we practice pratyahara, learning how to turn inward for much-needed renewal from our busy lives and then to act from a peaceful place, the more we can bring its gifts to our lives and the world.